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Sunday, January 31, 2010

just heard we get another snow day on monday! this is getting nice...but we only have one more built in day after monday. if we use any more weather days we will be going to school in june:( not good! but tomorrow i will continue to enjoy my time at home. i've already accomplished a lot of things like
1. finishing my tax return...looks good
2. reading all of those magazines
3. napping
4. playing in the snow
5. cleaning the house
6. laundry
7. tv watching

Saturday, January 30, 2010

yeah, I know it's the end of January but that is when my aunt Judy celebrates Christmas each year. what can i say...she lives by her own rules! so in typical fashion, on January 23rd she had her Christmas open house for friends, neighbors, and family. she goes way over and beyond what the 'average' person does for decorating...look and see for yourself!

the entry/foyer

the living room area

bonus room

bedrooms

amber, me, judy (no shoes...that is so typical even in the winter), and candace

i haven't written about the kiddos in a while and i just have to say that this little stinker captures my heart (and every other female in the room) more and more every day!

HOW CUTE IS HE?????

recently we went out to eat and he wanted to try some lemon...

also, both he and maddie love to dip their food (mostly fruit) in sugar when we go to restaurants. something about those little pastel colored packets really entices their interest. we oblige...anything to have a moment of peace when we are in public!

Finally, we really got some good snow. It's so beautiful and I'm so excited about a snowed in weekend! Who doesn't love that? These are some of my snow day essentials...

Fire, TV, Computer

good magazines and books

And this is a view of the snow progression...

This picture was of this morning...we had all day snow yesterday and then sleet last night. So all of this snow is packed with a layer of ice on top. You can't really make snow balls or snow men because once you break through the ice it is too dry.

Friday, January 29, 2010

i got a little blog makeover from the fabulous danielle this week! i wanted something more simple and chic, but that also had a touch of "asia" on behalf of molly. i change blog designs about as often as one changes their shoes! i love changing and new looks, it's really fun i think. but, i'm determined to keep this up until i can post a picture of molly in my header! i danielle is going to add a couple more things next week so check back...

Monday, January 25, 2010

Today is my 35th month of paper pregnancy. I've learned a lot in 35 months. I've reviewed several special needs files in the last 3 months since I turned in my special needs application. I know it will happen, I just don't know when. So until then I continue to pray for God to guide me through the process and I continue to prepare for the time when my world will change.

Friday, January 15, 2010

I've not really joined in this week's show us your life to give fitness tips, but rather to record some of the tips I've read from the other bloggers. There are many inspirational stories there and I'm so glad to have read about them. I've struggled with my weight since I was...born (9 pounds and 18 inches long, do you think that is a fat baby??) I have many {should be} motivating factors to get serious about this weight loss thing and I just hope I'm on my way...

100 extra calories a day = 10 lbs a year! That should make you think twice!

You want to burn calories, right? Then work out at 60% - 70% of your target heart rate. People will kill themselves with super strenuous workouts and cannot figure out why they aren't dropping the lbs. It's because your working too hard! Who'd a thunk it?!?! For most women, 60% might be a step aerobics or body-pump class. If you want the specifics and how to calculate your targert heart rate, go HERE.

My pet peeve is when women say they don't lift weights because they don't want to bulk up. Women literally do not have enough testosterone in their body to ever get bulky. Ever. Men even struggle bulking up - Why do you think they take a ton of "supplements"? So go lift some weights. NOW! Don't know what to do? Download the "BodyFitness" iPhone app. It's free and very simple, so you have no excuses!

You burn 3x as many calories when you lift weights. Here's how: you burn calories while actually lifting weights. Then, you burn them all the next day and a half while your body is repairing the muscles you broke down. I am sitting at my desk right now burning calories because my biceps and quads are super sore. I love being sore. Love it. Cardio is over-rated.

It cracks me up, but the new thing is that the old Jane Fonda leg excercises shown here are tried and true! They REALLY work your hips and glutes. So get to doing them while watching TV. Be sure to wear an awesome leotard, tights and leg warmers.

About 13 years ago, I lost 87 lbs. Yup, I went from 250 to 163. How did I do it? I went to a awesome doctor. Dr. Gabe Mirkin. He sent me to cooking school and then taught me how to live a healthy lifestyle.Dr. Mirkin lives a Vegetarian lifestyle and I could not follow that to the "T". So, I followed his plan and added fish and chicken into the diet. It was amazing how the weight came off and how full I felt all the time. In fact, I had to remind myself to eat. I carried grapes, apples, Oranges and veggies with me everywhere I went. People would tell me how amazing my completion was and I felt full of life.

Another thing I turned to was this book. There are prayers in here that really helped get me through those first months when all I wanted to do was rebel. I knew that God had sent me to this doctor and that I had to follow what he said. In a little over a year, I was almost to my ideal weight and felt wonderful.

1) Sparkpeople. I've been on it since January 2006 and love it. I need to see all of my calories and nutrients to keep myself on track. The community is fabulous and I'm in a number of groups such as Turbo Jam, which brings me to #2.

2) Turbo Jam. Chalene Johnson created Turbo Jam and sold it on informercials for the longest time. I have all 15 of the DVDs and they are fabulous. I love all of them and if I happen to "hate" one of them, it's because it is such a great workout.

These are Chalene's abs!

3) Both of these things allow me to profess my love for my Polar F4 heart rate monitor. I have had a heart problem for a long time, so it allows me to keep my heart rate in check to keep myself from overexertion, but also to track how many calories I've burned.

Many people are also doing Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred workout dvd and I think I'll add that to the list as well. I have many things to ponder and mull over in my brain this weekend...as we all know I am list, detailed, and goal oriented. I only wish these habits would work there way into my diet/exercise world.

my agency contacted me this afternoon to tell me to 'be on deck' as they have received word from china that the new special needs shared list will be released next week. i've been awaiting this list for quite some time. since my original log in date is almost 3 years old i am at the top of my agencies list in order to receive a referral. it it no guarantee that i will in fact get a call next week, but the sheer possibility of it is making me a bit crazed.

i want this part of the journey to be over so badly. i want to be able to put a picture to molly's name. i want to see my daughters face. i feel like this could be it, but am trying not to psyche myself up for a disappointment.

so over this extra long weekend (thanks to mlk, jr. day on monday) i am cleaning, organizing, and nesting a little in preparation...just in case. thank you for your prayers over this next week. please pray for confirmation when/if i get to review any files.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Dear Coach Fulmer,I know we kind of cut you off, but you were loyal so we thank you! Now we are in a big mess and we need your help. If you are not busy...like preparing for another movie deal or deciding where to take your next vacation maybe you could come back just for a while. You know, just through recruiting season! We'll let you run {walk} through the T again if you want to. You can think about it and let us know.Love,Lifetime, Born and Bred, veins spill orange, can't live without it, Tennessee Football Fan

Saturday, January 9, 2010

It's so funny...when the forecasters predicted a big snow we woke up to this:

Later the same day, we finally saw this:

And, now on day 3 it's finally beginning to look like a snow day! hilarious!

All that has amounted to 2 snow days for me. Hallelujah! I worked those days on a birthday lunch for my granny who is turning 80 years old...but had to cancel this morning because it was too "treacherous!" Northern people...don't laugh at us! We really can't drive in any of this in the south. We just don't know what to do! I also have read two book (this and this) and have caught up on all of my piles of magazines I was hoping to read during Christmas but didn't get too!

While I was off I was finally able to have my Christmas present installed!

Mom purchased this storm/security door to go on the front of the house. It makes the front look more complete I think and it also helps with the insulation of the front door which is really good on a snow day!

About Me

I love blogging, reading about adoptive families, looking at decorating blogs, keeping up with facebook friends, cooking, shopping online, trying new recipes, going on new adventures with molly, and so much more! The views expressed on this blog are mine and do not necessarily reflect the views of MNPS.